


A Path Out of the Dark

by Daeorus



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Female My Unit | Byleth, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route Spoilers, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Cindered Shadows DLC Spoilers, Gen, INDEFINITE HIATUS
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22791595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daeorus/pseuds/Daeorus
Summary: when a strange boy appears at the monastery, the fates of Byleth, Edelgard, the Officer’s Academy, and of Fódlan itself is changed forever. With knowledge he cannot possibly possess, the mysterious boy will attempt to avoid a calamity that has yet to unfold. He will need the help of all the house leaders if he is to succeed(Female Byleth & The Black Eagles route)
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if I missed any typos. Comments are always welcome.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue

White Clouds  
Great Tree Moon  
Unconscious

The archbishop and Seteth stood before their new professor. “How are you enjoying your time at the academy thus far?” Began Rhea, “I hope you have found our halls brining with the vitality of well-intentioned souls.”

Seteth crossed his arms, obviously irritated from some previously unheard conversation. “Hm. I suppose it is time for you to take charge of one of our three houses of students,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I must note that I am personally against entrusting someone as lacking in trackable history as yourself with such a task, but it is as the archbishop desires.”

Beside Byleth, one of the other professors spoke. “The Black Eagles, the Blue Lions, and the Golden Deer... all so different. I hope you’ve made it a point to get to know each of them.”

Manuela brought up a good point. Did she take enough time to really get to know the students? 

Next came Hanneman’s words. “Since you are new here, we have decided to allow you first pick. Manuela and I will take charge of the remaining two houses.”

Byleth weighed her options, but in truth she had already decided nearly the moment she had met all three heads of house. After all, Sothis had reversed the hands of time once already because Byleth had tried to protect her at the cost of her own life. 

“I’ll lead the empire’s house.”

Rhea nodded. “So you have chosen the Black Eagles, led by Edelgard. Correct?”

Byleth felt a moment of embarrassment. She should’ve just said the house name the first time. Off to a great start. “Yes.”

“Your heart has made its choice, then,” continued Rhea, “All I ask is that you guide these open minds with virtue, care, and sincerity.”

Seteth’s demeanor relaxed somewhat. “They are all promising youths who bear the weight of Fódlan’s future upon their shoulders. I hope you appreciate what an honor it is to lead them.”

Well that doesn’t add any pressure at all. 

Just then, a young girl with green hair came rushing in. 

“Brother?” A look of realization dawned on her face. “Oh! I am so sincerely sorry! I did not mean to interrupt.”

Seteth turned to her. “I am in the middle of something, Flayn. Is it urgent?”

The girl, presumably Flayn, shook her head. “No, no, it’s nothing. More importantly...” she turns her attention to Byleth, “who is this?”

“This is our newest professor at the academy.” Said Seteth. 

“Oh my! A new addition to the Officer’s Academy!” The excitement in Flayn’s words was infectious, “I am so very pleased to meet you, Professor.” She gave a deep bow. “I am Seteth’s little sister, Flayn. I am so happy to make your acquaintance.”

Before Byleth could respond, Seteth changed the topic. “Let us focus on the topic at hand. There is something you should be aware of...”

Seteth’s words trailed off as Byleth noticed a strange sparking in the air behind the church leaders. As she watched, the sparking began to grow and swirl, taking on a purplish light. 

Her brain clicked into gear, propelling her forward and past Rhea and Seteth. Having no weapon apart from the small ceremonial dagger at her hip, she drew it and extended her arms defensively between the strange maelstrom and the others in the room. The strange storm spiraled and grew, reaching nearly three feet in diameter. 

Byleth heard Rhea’s voice from behind her. “Professor! Back away before-“

With a thrumming blast, a shockwave rocketed out of the purple swirling spell. It slammed into Byleth and the others, sending them careening across the room. Byleth felt the dagger fly from her hand and and her head hit hard against the stone floor. 

“Flayn!? Are you alright? Lady Rhea! We must evacuate the Monastery!” She dimly heard Seteth’s words.

Dazed, she blearily looked up at the maelstrom, now wildly spiraling and churning fierce winds. She watched in disbelief as the storm seemed to open. 

A figure, no larger than Flayn, fell through the center of the storm, landing limply on the stone floor. 

As soon as the strange spell began, it ended. With an inward breath, the unnatural storm collapsed in on itself, leaving behind only the unmoving figure on the floor. 

She heard the heavy plate of the knights of Seiros as they stormed into the room. She slowly got to her feet. 

The knights began to advance toward the mysterious figure, but Byleth raised a hand, her eyes are locked on the small form. 

Surprisingly, the knights stopped. She began to advance alone. 

“Professor, wait!” It was Rhea’s voice. “Let the knights investigate. It may be dangerous.”

Byleth shook her head, having yet to look away. 

“It’s... a boy.” The moment she said it she knew it was true. The figure was small, with short, strikingly white hair. 

Byleth knelt before the boy. He looked to be about Flayn’s age, possibly a little older. He was slightly too young to be a student of the academy, but he could also be a special case like Lysithea. His hair also reminded her of the girl. And Edelgard. 

Manuela came down beside her and examined at the boy. She felt his neck for a pulse. “He’s fine, just unconscious.” She concluded after a few moments. “I don’t recognize him, and those clothes are definitely Adrestian.” She gestured to his black and red attire. 

“Jeralt, have the knights bring the child to the infirmary.”

“Of course Lady Rhea.”

Only then did Byleth realize her father was in the room. He approached and effortlessly scooped the child up into his arms, making the boy seem even smaller. 

“I do not know what is going on here, but hopefully when the child awakens we can get some answers.” Rhea concluded, “In the meantime Manuela, see if you can hasten the boy’s recovery.”

“Of course archbishop.”

With a nod, Manuela followed Jeralt out of the room. 

“Well Professor, your first day has already proved quite remarkable, has it not?” It was Flayn speaking, attempting to lighten the mood. Byleth had almost forgotten she was there. 

“Professor, while this is a most strange event, we must not let it interfere with the Academy.” Said Seteth, “As I was explaining before, there will be a mock battle in a few days time used to gauge both the students and yourself. Do not disappoint the archbishop.”

“Go and speak with your house Professor, Seteth and I will get to the bottom of this incident. Do not let it distract you or your students.”

Still slightly dazed from the whole experience, Byleth turned to leave. She felt strangely numb.

As she trekked down the stairs to the lower level, she could not get the mysterious boy out of her mind. 

“Nor can I! He is most strange indeed.”

The voice of Sothis rang through Byleth’s head and almost caused her to trip down the stairs. She caught herself on the wall. 

“I cannot shake the feeling I know him. Not to mention the strange manner in which he appeared. I am sure you recognized the similarity between the storm’s magic and my own, if only in its color alone.”

Byleth nodded. 

“We should speak with the child as soon as he awakens. Perhaps Rhea will allow him to join your class?”

Byleth doubted the archbishop would allow such a thing, but found herself hoping for the same thing nonetheless.


	2. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if there are any typos. Feel free to comment, I always love feedback!

White Clouds  
Verdant Rain Moon  
Awakening

It felt like dragging himself up through sludge, as if something thicker than water was trying to keep his consciousness from surfacing with its oppressive weight. 

With what felt like a momentous amount of effort, a groan escaped his lips. He felt his stiff limbs only able to shift slightly. 

He thought he heard something, but it was all so muffled and unclear, he couldn’t make sense of it. 

He could feel himself slowly returning, the sludge quickly becoming vapor in his mind. 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and heard a woman’s voice. He still couldn’t made any sense out of the words, but it no longer sounded muffled and far away. 

Slowly, he tried his best to turn toward her, but could tell it was little more than a shift. With what felt like a disproportionately large amount of effort, he forced his eyes open just a crack. 

The light made him wince, but slowly his eyes adjusted. 

“Woah, don’t tell me he’s actually awake!?”

That wasn’t the woman’s voice. He watched groggily as the woman above him gave him a soft smile. 

“There you go, it’s nice to see you finally open those eyes of yours. We were starting to think you never would.” The woman trilled.

He tried to form words of his own, but instead just groaned again. 

“Ooh I feel that. I’m always like that if I take a nap. That’s why I avoid ‘em best I can. Never understood why Linhardt loves ‘em so much. They totally ruin my day.”

It was the male voice again. He shifted slightly, trying to see the speaker. He could see their lower half, but didn’t have the strength to turn his head further to see his face. 

The woman rolled her eyes. “Caspar, you’re all patched up. There’s no need for you to stay here in the infirmary.”

“Are you kidding me professor?! There’s no way I’m missing this!”

The woman let out a sigh. “Then help me sit him up.”

He felt sturdy hands scoop under his arms. 

“Gently, Caspar! My goodness.”

Gingerly this time, he felt his body be lifted and propped against the headboard. 

Strength already rapidly returning, he managed to help shift himself into a proper sitting position, bracing an arm against the bed beside him. Slowly, still concerned he wouldn’t be able to support the weight of his own head, he looked around the room and at the two other residents. 

He was definitely in an infirmary of some sort. Caspar, a small boy with vibrantly blue hair and a large bandage on his right cheek, beamed down at him. Standing up from where she was kneeling was the woman, dressed in a green dress with a white overcoat. She gestured at two chairs and Caspar quickly dragged them over for the two to sit. 

“M-m...” he tried to form words as best he could as the two sat. “Manuela?”

The woman froze. “How do you know my name?”

“I-I,” he mentally berated himself as his thoughts began to fully take shape once more. That was a stupid mistake. 

“H-he said it.” Maybe if she thought he had heard Caspar say it?

She frowned as Caspar shrugged. “I mean I could’ve? I try and call you professor, but I could’ve messed up? I mean it makes sense to me.”

“And you’re Caspar, right? S-she said it when you helped me up.”

This seemed to please her. 

“And what might your name be?”

He thought for a moment, “Theo.”

“You’ve been asleep for quite a while Theo. How are you feeling?”

He groaned, “honestly? Pretty terrible.”

“I bet!” Added Caspar loudly, “you were out for a good three moons! I don’t know what happened to you kid, but it couldn’t have been good.”

A pang of irritation sparked through him. “It’s Theo.”

He looked at him confused “Huh? Did I say the wrong name or something?”

He decided to just forget about it. 

“I’ve been out for three moons?” He asked, embarrassed as his voice gave a dry crack. “What’s the date?”

“Thursday, the 14th of the Verdant Rain Moon.” Said Manuela. “Imperial year 1180, if that matters to you at all.”

It did matter, but he wasn’t going to act like it did. He shook his head in disbelief, happy that for once his body seemed to be doing what it was told. “Three moons... that’s quite a while.” He furrowed his brow, “I-I can’t remember anything. My head feels all foggy.”

“Wait, you like, genuinely remember nothing?” Asked Caspar incredulously. 

He nodded slowly. “I think? I know my name and I know I was casting something, but everything else is just,” he paused, trying to find the right term, “gone.”

“Well, you appeared practically out of thin air and haven’t shown any sign of waking.” Explained Manuela, “I’ve heard of people overextending themselves with magic and tiring themselves out, but never to this extent, although I imagine it is possible.“ she frowned, “memory loss has never been a symptom as far as I’m aware however.”

“Where am I?”

“Garreg Mach Monastery, home of the Central Church and the Officer’s Academy.” Piped in Caspar. 

“Central Church... as in the Church of Seiros? I kind of remember that... I think?”

“What about the Adrestian Empire?” Asked Manuela, “when you first appeared, you were wearing Empire clothes.”

“Yeah, I know the Archbishop asked around about you while you were out but apparently no one knows who you are. She even asked my father!”

Theo raised an eyebrow in question toward Caspar.

“My father’s the Minister of Military Affairs, and since you were wearing an officer’s uniform of sorts, she figured if anyone knew who you were it’d be him. She of course asked Edelgard too, but nothing came out of her sources either.” Rambled Caspar, bouncing his leg as sitting still seemed to be bothering him. 

“You’re quite the little mystery here at the Monastery, even with this school year being as eventful as it’s already been.”

“Honestly, both Edelgard and the professor have been super interested in you.” Added Caspar, “I haven’t really seen them much this past week though. Apart from in class that is. Same with Linhardt and Ashe. I think it had something to do with whatever happened in that chapel two days ago.”

Theo looked at him confused.

He blushed slightly, “eh forget it. I realize you have absolutely no clue who or what I’m talking about anyway.” He let out an embarrassed laugh. 

“Caspar dear, why don’t you go and let the Archbishop know that Theo is awake.”

Caspar shot to his feet, “great idea! I’ll get her now!”

As he scampered out of the room, Manuela let out a sigh, “he’s a sweet kid, but a little over eager at times. Hence why I was patching him up when you started to wake.”

Theo raised an eyebrow, “what was he even talking about? Did something happen?”

“Don’t you worry about it.” Said Manuela sweetly, “there’s been some drama recently with one of the church’s senior members. It led to a fight the other day, but it’s all settled down by now.”

“Who are those people?”

“Mainly other students at the Officer’s Academy. Edelgard leads Caspar’s house under Professor Byleth, who is our newest professor here. Coincidentally, her first day was the very day you showed up.”

“Ah, so the Goddess has blessed us with your much-anticipated awakening.”

The voice came from the doorway on the far side of the room. It was smooth and melodic, and belonged to an elegant woman with green hair and an ornate gown. 

The woman closed the distance until she stood at the foot of his bed.

“Caspar tells me your name is Theo. I am Rhea, archbishop of the Church of Seiros.”

Theo bowed his head slightly in greeting. He saw Caspar peek in through the door but not enter the room. 

“That was a powerful spell that allowed you to appear amongst myself and our professors. It did not appear to be like any kind of warp spell I have seen before.”

“I wish I could tell you more. I genuinely cannot remember.”

She looked at him sympathetically, “that is sad to hear my child. Perhaps with time your memories will return.”

Theo didn’t quite know what to say. 

“I am sorry if I... um... caused any trouble.” It was weird to talk to her like this. Surreal.

“The Church is here to welcome those in need.” She smiled, “you quite literally appeared before us, unconscious and vulnerable. You caused no trouble by being in need.”

Theo’s stomach let out a soft rumble, causing him to blush in embarrassment. 

Rhea chuckled, “I imagine you are quite hungry. I asked Caspar to wait outside so he might accompany you to the dining hall should you feel as though you have the strength. If not,“ she gestured gracefully at Manuela, “I am sure Manuela can bring you food here.”

“I would suggest you take it easy,” warned Manuela. 

Theo shook his head. “I think I’m fine now. I’d like to go to the dining hall if that’s okay.”

Rhea nodded with a smile. “Of course dear child.” She turned back to the door, “Caspar?”

The small teen bounced into the room.

“Please keep an eye on Theo here. If he starts to feel faint, please bring him back here right away.”

“Of course Archbishop, you can count on me!”

The dining hall was bustling by the time the two arrived. Caspar had originally been hovering nervously as Theo walked, but quickly started to relax more as Theo proved steady on his feet. 

The older boy had loads of energy, but Theo couldn’t help but find him endearing. 

They seemed to have gotten there a little before the main dinner rush. The line for food was forming, but wasn’t too long. 

After grabbing their plates, the two sat opposite each other at one of the large tables. 

The food was honestly fantastic. It was some fish dish Theo wasn’t familiar with, but his empty stomach quickly had him devouring the plate. Still, he couldn’t match the speed of Caspar’s eating. 

“Woah there, nice to see you among the living.” Theo looked up at a handsome teen with a sly smirk on his lips. He wore similar Officer’s Academy clothes as other nearby students, but the yellow cloak attached to his shoulder marked him as a house leader. He was with a pink-haired girl, both of which holding plates of their own. 

“Mind if we join you two?” Asked the girl with a smile. 

Theo quickly swallowed the bite he was chewing, “sorry, yes! Please!” He wiped his mouth on his napkin, “my name is Theo. Caspar here happened to be in the infirmary when I woke up. Rhea tasked him with accompanying me to get food.”

Caspar nodded, cheek still stuffed with food, “yeah join us! Theo needs to meet more people than just me anyways.”

The two sat, the house leader beside Caspar and the pink-haired girl by Theo. 

“Nice to finally meet you Theo, the name’s Claude.”

“And I’m Hilda. We’re part of the Golden Deer house at the Officer’s Academy.”

“I gotta say, it’s crazy actually seeing you awake.” Said Claude, “After everything that’s happened this past week, it really seems like perfect timing.” 

Theo raised an eyebrow, “what happened?”

“Yeah,” added Caspar between bites, “I’ve been meaning to ask. All you house leaders seemed to run off this past week or so. Same with Linhardt and Ashe.”

Claude nodded, “yeah, we kind of stumbled our way into the think of things down in Abyss with the Professor.”

“Abyss is this crazy span of tunnels underneath the Monastery,” explained Hilda, “People live down there and everything! There’s even an unofficial fourth house of the academy! A few of us were following a shady guy and we kinda found ourselves caught up in this crazy plot to bring the professor’s mother back to life.”

“Wait, the whole thing in that chapel yesterday was about the professor’s mom!?” Asked Caspar incredulously. 

Claude nodded, “yeah, I know. I wouldn’t have believed it if I wasn’t there myself.”

“I think the Ashen Wolves are joining the professor’s house, right?” Asked Hilda. 

Claude nodded, “I swear, everyone’s joining the Black Eagles because of the professor. I’d honestly jump ship too if I wasn’t a house leader. I might actually go crazy if I had to have her royal highness as a house leader though.”

“Aw, Edelgard’s really not that bad.” Replied Caspar, “she’s pretty great once you get to know her.”

“Oh don’t get me wrong, she’s my friend, but she also takes things a bit too seriously at times.”

“Ashe is part of the Black Eagles now, right?” Asked Hilda. 

Caspar nodded, “he joined up when he found out we were going out to help with the Lord Lonato stuff. Didn’t feel right not being a part of it. Sylvain too. We’re tasked with dealing with the bandits his brother leads this month, so I think he used that as an excuse too.” Caspar took another bite, “although if I’m being honest, I kinda think he only joined our class because the Professor’s a woman.”

“You guys have been talking about this professor a lot...” asked Theo, “I know of Manuela, but I take it that’s not who you’re talking about.”

Hilda shook her head. “We got a new professor shortly after the school year started. Her name’s Byleth. She’s a former mercenary.”

“She saved me and the other house leaders a while back, plus her dad used to be the captain here years ago.” Added Claude, “Rhea jumped at the opportunity and made her the new professor.”

“I know what you’re thinking,” said Hilda, “but she’s actually proven to be a fantastic teacher, and an even better strategist.”

Caspar nodded, “there’s been a few times her strategies have been scary good. I swear she can see the future or something.”

Theo gave a smile, “I look forward to meeting her.”

Claude scoffed, “with how things are turning out, you’ll probably be put in her class.”

Theo raised an eyebrow, “but I’m not a student here.”

“Something tells me that’s going to change soon.” Claude paused, “that reminds me, they say you just appeared out of thin air. Mind sharing why you’re here?”

Theo shook his head, “I wish I could, but my head’s all foggy. I know I was casting a spell, but that’s it.”

Claude furrowed his brow, “strange.” Theo couldn’t tell if Claude fully believed him. 

Their conversation continued lightly as the four ate. By the time they had finished eating, the dining hall had become quite crowded with knights and students. The three had quickly decided that they should give Theo a proper tour of the monastery while there was still the glow from the setting sun, as the food seemed to have helped restore much of the boy’s missing strength. 

As they went to leave the dining hall, a nearby voice interrupted them. 

“And just where do you lot plan on scampering off to?”

Theo could’ve sworn he heard Claude curse under his breath as they all turned to face the speaker. 

“Ah, Edelgard, what a lovely surprise,” cooed Claude, “where’s your ominous shadow?”

“If you are referring to Hubert, he is currently fetching our dinner.” Her eyes fell on Theo, “I am happy to see you’re awake.” She put her hand in her chest and gave a slight bow, “My name is Edelgard von Hresvelg, head of the Black Eagles house and princess of the Adrestian Empire.”

He smiled, “I’m Theo.”

“A pleasure to meet you Theo.” She turned her attention to Claude, “don’t go dragging him or Caspar into trouble, okay?”

Claude feigned insult, “your highness! I would never!”

Edelgard rolled her eyes, “of course Claude. I would join you all, but unfortunately i really do need to eat.”

Hilda smoked, “don’t worry Edelgard, we’re just giving Theo here a tour while there’s still some sunlight.”

The three led Theo around the monastery, showing him the main hall, fishing pond, stables, and all the other main areas of the campus. 

As they entered the training grounds, much to Caspar’s delight, they saw a young woman training alongside a teen in blue. 

“Oh, looks like the professor is helping Dimitri. We should probably leave so we don’t disturb them.” Said Hilda. 

Caspar grumbled something in disappointment, but Theo wasn’t really paying attention. 

He was watching the professor. That was Byleth, the professor everyone kept going on about. She was helping the Blue Lions house leader with various forms for his spearwork. Theo noted the way she calmly instructed him, urging Dimitri to shift his weight here or use less strength there. He found her mesmerizing. 

Dimitri’s eye’s flickered toward their group at one moment, and soon Byleth was turning around to look at them. 

“Don’t let us interrupt teach!” Called out Claude, “we’re just giving sleepyhead here a tour!”

Dimitri’s gaze fell on Theo, “oh! It is great to see you awake!” He began stiffly, obviously winded but attempting a formal tone nonetheless, “the professor here was simply helping me perfect my lance stances.” He explained, “my name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, of Faerghus.”

Theo bowed slightly, a little awkward, “Theo.”

Dimitri turned to his training partner, “Professor, thank you for tutoring me. I apologize for taking your time, despite not being in your house. You have given me much to work on.”

The professor nodded toward Dimitri, then turned to approach Theo, “my name is Byleth, it’s nice to meet you.”

Theo beamed, “likewise, I’ve heard a lot about you from pretty much everyone.”

“They tend to talk me up.” She said calmly, “I simply make for easy gossip.”

Theo shook his head, “I think it is more than that, but it hardly matters, I’m just happy to finally put a face to all the stories.”

Byleth gave Caspar a sideways glance, to which he pouted slightly, “hey, that’s not fair! What makes you think I was the one talking the whole time! I wasn’t even with you for the whole Abyss thing!”

Byleth shook her head, allowing the faintest hint of a smile to reach her eyes, “that reminds me, the Ashen Wolves will be joining our house Caspar. I plan on introducing them to everyone tomorrow, so do help me make sure Bernadetta actually makes it to class on time?”

Caspar nodded, “of course Professor!”

The group talked for a while longer, Dimitri asking Theo about himself and Theo giving the now routine explanation of his amnesia. 

Eventually, Hilda piped up. “While it’s fun to chat, we should probably get you back to the Archbishop.” She said to Theo, “we gave you pretty much the whole tour except the cathedral, but now that the sun’s down it’s probably better to just wait until morning to see it.”

“That’s a good point Hilda,” added Caspar, “not to mention we were only supposed to grab some food.”

“I am going to speak with my father,” said the professor, “I’ll accompany you back to Rhea.” 

As they departed the training grounds, the group broke apart. Dimitri went to the dining hall while the others went toward their respective dorms. Soon only Caspar and Byleth remained with Theo as they led him back to the monastery’s second floor. 

“I can take Theo from here, Caspar,” said Byleth as they reached the top of the stairs, “I have a feeling you have yet to start on your homework for tomorrow.”

Caspar’s ears flushed with embarrassment, “n-no! I mean... ugh you got me.” He said with a defeated sigh, “but in my defense, Theo’s way more important.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’ll handle things from here then.”

Caspar didn’t even try to hide the disappointment on his face, “yeah, I guess.” He looked at Theo, “it was nice grabbing food with ya. Hopefully Rhea’ll have you join our class.”

Theo nodded, “thank you Caspar, you really helped me a lot today.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said with a casual wave, “I’ll see ya around!” And with that, he turned and went down the stairs. 

Byleth led Theo toward a large chamber across from the t-junction of the hallway. “I’m happy to see that you are already making friends. I don’t see why Rhea would have any issue with you joining the Black Eagles if you so choose.”

Theo nodded, “if she lets me I’d love to, but I understand if she doesn’t trust me yet. After all, I did just kind of appear out of nowhere.”

Theo saw the glint of amusement in Byleth’s eye, despite her face remaining mostly stoic, “she may put you in my class in part to watch you. She probably made me a professor for much the same reason.”

Theo furrowed his brow, “that doesn’t make any sense.”

“Neither do you.”


	3. Like Her Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient. It’s a crazy time for the world right now, so I hope this can be a nice distraction.
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments, and feel free to tell me if you catch any typos or mistakes. I love reading comments and hope you are enjoying the story so far!

White Clouds  
Verdant Rain Moon  
Like Her Brother

Edelgard watched Theo with much interest during class. As expected, Rhea had placed him in the Professor’s class, and as such she was now his house leader. Having only woken up yesterday, the boy was surprisingly strong on his feet. 

The Ashen Wolves had also been introduced to the class, but were apparently going to serve more as help during certain missions, as well as attend the occasional lecture. Theo however, was to become a full-fledged Black Eagle, much like Ashe and Sylvain had. 

The professor had decided to do a more practical lesson in the training grounds, the students to pair off to practice certain weapon and spell forms for fifteen minutes or so as a warmup. 

It was a standard practice before what Edelgard assumed would be sparring matches. She found it to be quite a smart plan. She knew her teacher well enough to know that she was using the opportunity to gage everyone’s growth and strengths, but most importantly, she was using it to test Theo. Theo and Sylvain. 

Edelgard and her professor had fought alongside everyone else except the two boys, including the Ashen Wolves, and Edelgard had no doubt that Byleth was attempting to see the strengths and weaknesses of the two so that she would not command them recklessly during a true combat scenario. 

Edelgard had elected to pair with Hubert to start the drill, which allowed her the chance to only pretend to train and instead make some observations of her own, for she knew Hubert was doing the same. 

While Sylvain was relatively straightforward with his obvious skill in lancework, Theo was harder to place. He was small and slender, and Edelgard couldn’t help but guess he was no older than Flayn or Cyril, probably closer in age to the former. At least if she was purely going off of appearances. That being said, he did not necessarily come across as weak, and carried himself with the grace of someone accustomed to movement, but possibly a dancer as opposed to a fighter. His movements were fluid and graceful. 

As with before, her attention was drawn to his white hair, but also his strangely pointed ears. She had noticed both when she had first seen him in the infirmary, but she had almost forgotten about his ears upon surmising what the color of his hair might mean. 

He had selected a sword and paired up with Caspar, who had insisted on being his partner. Edelgard could tell that Caspar saw himself as a mentor of sorts to the boy, acting as a friendly guide to help Theo feel at home. Edelgard smiled softly at this. Caspar may be strong-headed and brash, but he really was a good person at heart. 

Edelgard went through a few forms with Hubert, stepping through the actions with her axe mindlessly while she watched the other white-haired youth. 

The training sword seemed large in his small hand, and part of her realized, amused, that Caspar was no longer the smallest boy in the class. Despite that, he held the blade like an expert, deftly transitioning between the various forms while Caspar worked with an axe of his own. Theo would occasionally feign not knowing a form and ask Caspar for help, but if Caspar had noticed Theo’s lie he didn’t let on. She wondered if he was doing it for the benefit of Caspar, to make him feel important, or if he was attempting to look less skilled than he truly was. His acting was relatively believable, but not to a well-trained eye. 

She looked at the professor. Sure enough, Byleth was watching Theo. It was the same piercing gaze that led Edelgard to believe she had seen her use her Crest of Flames. Byleth definitely knew he was faking. 

Edelgard wondered, was he an agent of her uncle? The white hair marked him as a subject of their experiments, or at least it made it a possibility. They had acted unaware of his existence when she had questioned them upon his initial appearance at the monastery, but she did not know if that was the truth, or merely a ploy to keep her in the dark. Theo’s ears however, were more akin to the ears of Rhea, marking him as possibly the same insidious breed. She was at an utter loss. 

It was decided, after training today she would make it a point to get to know him. Perhaps invite him to join her for dinner. There was only so much she could learn from afar. 

After their warmups, their teacher gathered them. “Okay class, as we have some new editions to our house, I would like to try some sparring to best see their strengths, as well as see how much everyone else has grown.” She explained, “I will divide you into two groups. There, you will fight in an elimination bracket. The winners from each half will then go head to head, and the winner from that matchup will fight me if there is time. The rules are the same as always: three touches and you win.”

The class looked around excitedly, Byleth had never offered to spar beyond just simple training. Edelgard could see the excitement on Caspar’s face at the idea of fighting the professor, and she honestly felt much the same. Byleth was smart; by adding herself to the mix she made it so all the Black Eagles would try harder in the hope of getting to fight her. 

Edelgard was placed in the same group as Theo, along with Ashe, Dorothea, Ferdinand (much to her annoyance), and Bernadetta. She watched as Theo stood to the back, out of the way. 

First, Ashe and Bernadetta fought, and while Ashe ultimately won, it was far less one-sided than fights with Bernadetta had been in the past. She was starting to have more confidence. Not to mention she was surprisingly good with a lance. 

Next, Ferdinand stepped forward. Edelgard groaned, knowing what he was going to say before he even spoke. 

“Edelgard, shall we see which of us is the-“

“Theo!” Interrupted Edelgard, “let’s have a go, shall we?”

Theo looked up at Edelgard, slightly alarmed that he had been brought to her attention. “Uh, should you not spar with him?” He asked, pointing at Ferdinand.

Edelgard sighed, of course Ferdinand got in the way of her plan with his senseless competition, “very well.”

She and Ferdinand stepped out across from each other. She could make quick work of her opponent, but knew that doing so might hurt his ego at a time that she really did not want to have to deal with it. 

She let him score the first touch, intentionally Making an axe swing too large and leaving an opening. 

The second touch was hers before again letting him touch. Her second touch was made swiftly with a feint to the right followed by an actual strike from the left. Part of her was disappointed that he hadn’t seen it coming. She could tell he was in his head, having gotten overconfident after his early lead. 

For the final touch, she locked her axe with his lance, catching the polearm between the blade and the handle of her weapon. With a twist, she forced both weapons down as she advanced the length of the weapon and delivered a light punch to Ferdinand’s ribs. 

“I believe that would be my third touch.”

He fumed, “no fair! You used your fist!”

“You know full well that a touch is a touch. Perhaps you should have been better prepared?”

He frowned, “in a fair fight I would have won.”

She sighed again, “perhaps, but nonetheless I am the victor.”

She turned back to the others. “I believe this only leaves Dorothea and Theo, correct?”

Dorothea nodded and turned to Theo, “don’t worry, these things are fun! Besides, I’m more of a magic user myself, so getting stuck with this sword means you have the advantage.” She smiled at him warmly. 

He smiled back, some of his shyness dissolving, “I will try my best, but please, do not go easy on me. I can’t grow if treated like a child.”

Dorothea nodded, “oh, I have no intention of letting you win, I’m just being honest. I’m probably the easiest opponent you could’ve been paired with. You were smart to avoid Edie.”

As the two faced off, Edelgard noticed Theo’s stance. He intentionally gripped the blade too hard, limiting his movement and flexibility with it. She knew in that moment that he was going to throw the fight. 

Sure enough, the fight was relatively one-sided. Much like Edelgard had done, Theo overly telegraphed his moves, allowing for Dorothea to strike at his weak spots. However, she also noticed he actively moved to strike whenever Dorothea made a mistake, albeit slow enough for her to realize and respond accordingly. All in all, his fighting style reminded her exactly of the professor’s during one-on-one training. He was putting up just enough resistance to make Dorothea work for it and learn, but while also intentionally giving her openings. Edelgard was stunned. He wasn’t just good with a blade, he was phenomenal. He had to be in order to control the fight so completely. At the very least his skill was at or near that of Byleth. 

He feigned disappointment as Dorothea scored her third and final touch. 

Breathless, Dorothea extended a hand. “That was a great fight. You had me on the ropes a few times there.”

Theo smiled and shook her hand, “I think not. That was clearly won by the better of us two.”

The rest of the training session went by uneventfully, at least until the final fight. Ashe beat Dorothea, and then Edelgard beat Ashe. Petra had come out victorious from the other group, and so Edelgard faced her down. 

It was a tough fight, but Edelgard managed to secure a hard-earned victory, having managed to disarm Petra. 

She turned to Byleth, “so my teacher, shall we spar?”

Byleth shook her head. “Please forgive me Edelgard, but I believe Theo here would benefit the most from fighting me.”

It took all of a moment for it to click. Byleth knew! She had noticed the same thing Edelgard had. “Of course my teacher,” she said, turning to look at the boy, “I too am interested in what Theo can do when he’s not holding back.”

Theo looked surprised and a little flustered. Edelgard could practically see him thinking, debating if he should keep up the act or not. Ultimately, his shoulders slumped slightly as he realized he had been caught, “w-was it really that obvious?”

Byleth shook her head as she advanced to the center of the training grounds, “not at all, which is why I have a feeling you’re quite good.”

Edelgard looked around at the other students. Apparently they hadn’t picked up on his ruse like she had, although she had no doubt Petra would have noticed had she been watching him.

Theo took a deep breath of resignation before moving to place himself opposite Byleth, “Ever think there might have been a reason I was trying not to draw attention to myself?” He asked in a quieter tone, obviously irritated. 

Byleth simply readied her training sword, “I suggest you go all out, otherwise we’ll keep this going until you do.”

Edelgard couldn’t help but smile at that. 

She watched as Theo took up a stance nearly identical to Byleth’s. 

“Edelgard, can I rely on you to judge this fairly?” Asked their teacher. 

Edelgard nodded, “of course.”

Byleth turned her attention back toward Theo. “Very well then, let’s begin.”

With a burst of speed, Byleth launched herself at Theo. Edelgard had seen Byleth in combat before, and it didn’t seem as though she was planning on holding back against the small boy. 

She closed the distance between them almost instantly, bringing her blade in with the speed of a viper. However, it was met by a swift parry followed by a riposte thrusting toward her hip. She twisted rapidly to avoid the jab, but Theo anticipated it and shifted the forward jab into a rotating slice. His blade found the professor’s stomach with a thud. 

Edelgard called halt. “That would be a touch for Theo.” She said incredulously. It had all happened so fast it took her a moment to process what she had seen. Theo had actually landed a hit! Byleth had been reckless, but she had attacked so quickly that Theo’s reflexes had instinctually triggered, not letting him hold back. It was brilliant. 

Byleth rubbed the spot on her stomach where the training blade had made contact, the dull weapon undoubtedly leaving a smarting welt. She wasn’t positive, but she could’ve sworn she saw the slightest trace of a smile in Byleth’s normally stoic eyes. 

“There, are you happy now?” Asked Theo, “I have no doubt that you will eventually beat me, as your stamina is greater than mine especially after I’ve been asleep for so long. Must we continue this fight so, already knowing its outcome?” 

Despite what he was saying, Edelgard saw no trace of exhaustion in Theo’s body language. 

“Are you kidding me!?” It was Caspar, “that was awesome! You gotta finish the fight!”

“I too,” added Petra, “am most interested!” Her eyes were wide, soaking up the fighter’s various moves and techniques. 

Edelgard looked over to Byleth, who returned to a ready position without so much as a word. 

Theo sighed in defeat as he too prepared to continue the fight. 

This time, Byleth also closed the distance rapidly, but was less reckless in her attack. In a flurry of blocks, the two practically danced as their blades met over and over. 

With a hop, Theo pulled himself out of the fight, only to quickly reverse and launch back in on his own terms. 

His strikes looked much like Byleth’s, mirroring closely a similar attack pattern. 

Byleth managed to score a touch, followed closely by another and then a second touch by Theo. Soon they were down to the final point. 

This time Theo launched in first, calm and collected. Like before, the two exchanged blows at close range, blocking each of the respective attacks. 

Edelgard was absolutely mesmerized by the exchange. While they appeared to have similar training, Theo’s movements seemed almost fluid, as if the very weight of his limbs and the blade mattered little. He changed directions so quickly, it was almost as if the momentum of both his body and weapon were under his control absolutely. 

It all happened in less than a heartbeat. Byleth had seen an opening and taken it, hooking her right foot behind Theo’s ankle she swept his leg out from under him. 

Theo fell hard to the ground, his sword clattering from his hand as he went sprawling on his back. Byleth seemed to hesitate for a moment however. She looked over him, her sword held loosely. He panted on the ground, utterly exhausted, not even bothering to try and get back on his feet. 

The whole thing was strange. Byleth was never one to hesitate, and Theo had been calm and collected only a moment ago, showing no sign of fatigue. Byleth eventually snapped back to reality and gave him a light poke with the tip of her sword, cementing her victory. 

Byleth helped Theo to his feet, the boy’s legs trembling under his own weight. Edelgard couldn’t help but notice a thin sheen of sweat on his brow that definitely hadn’t been there only moments earlier. It was as if something had happened that she had completely missed. Something that had completely drained Theo’s energy and shocked their professor. 

“I-I guess I haven’t fully recovered.” It was all Theo said, giving a small smile, if not a slightly pained one. 

Byleth led Theo to one of the nearby benches and had him sit before addressing the rest of the house. 

“We still have about ten minutes left in class, but I don’t see why I can’t let you all out a little early. Good work today. Don’t forget about the paper due on Monday. I want to take us through some training exercises this coming Sunday, so plan your time accordingly.”

After a few grumbles and questions, the class dispersed. Edelgard noted Caspar, Dorothea, and Ashe lingering, obviously wanting to check on Theo. Hubert was heading Edelgard’s way. 

She anticipated him, “Hubert, why don’t you go and save us a seat at the dining hall? I want to check on Theo and see if he feels well enough to join us.”

He gave a curt bow, “as you wish.” He turned and strode out of the courtyard. 

Now free of that distraction, she too moved toward the group of concerned classmates. 

Ashe had helped Theo to his feet, Caspar hovering beside him in case the boy lost his footing. Dorothea stood opposite them. She watched as Theo pushed Ashe’s arms away, obviously not wanting the aid. His breathing seemed labored, but he was otherwise steady. 

“I know I should be mad at you right now,” began Dorothea, “but I’m honestly just concerned. You could have just said you didn’t have the energy to go all out! Why fake it?”

Theo gave a light shrug, “I’m competitive. By pretending to be worse, I did not feel the need to push myself. The moment it was known, I had to win.”

Caspar nodded in understanding as Ashe furrowed his brow, “that doesn’t make any sense. You should have just said you still weren’t well! I’m sure the professor would have let you sit out the session,” he turned to look at Byleth, “right?”

She nodded, “do you need the infirmary?”

Theo shook his head. “I just need sleep.” a large yawn escaped his mouth, inadvertently proving his point, “I’m honestly exhausted.”

Edelgard saw this as her chance, “very well, I will escort you back to your chambers.”

The others seemed to notice her for the first time, “O-oh! Your highness!” Started Ashe, “there’s no need! I can easily help him.”

She sighed, Ashe always seemed to get so nervous around her. She guessed it had to do with their differing stations, and with his choice to switch to her house. “Nonsense. I can escort him just as easily as you, and have yet to have the opportunity to truly speak with him.”

Ashe was about to protest, but Caspar stopped him, “c’mon Ashe, leave it to Edelgard. Let’s go get some grub!”

Reluctantly, he followed Caspar. 

Dorothea frowned at Theo, “don’t think that just because I’m concerned about you that I’ve forgotten what you did. I don’t like the idea that you went easy on me. One of these days we’re going to spar, for real.” She emphasized the last word, “now I better go get food too before Caspar eats it all.”

With that, only Byleth, Theo, and Edelgard remained. 

“So...” began Edelgard, “are you going to tell us the real reason you held back?”

Theo smirked slightly, “hey, let me keep a few secrets!”

Both Byleth and Edelgard did not laugh. 

“You may find this amusing, but ultimately we must be honest with each other if we are to trust one another on the battlefield.” Scolded Edelgard. 

Theo raised his hands defensively, “I promise. I will be there for you to the best of my abilities when the time comes. There is nothing either of you could do to change that.”

Edelgard highly doubted that. As far as she knew, only Hubert was guaranteed to stand by her through all that needed to be done. 

“I am your ally,” he said, looking between the two, “but that does not mean I am the ally of others here at the monastery. I do not worry about you learning of my talents, but the prying eyes of others are of great concern.”

Prying eyes... Edelgard could not help but wonder if he meant Rhea. 

Edelgard saw Byleth’s brow furrow, “that last move, something happened.”

He looked at her questioningly. 

“I saw it too, although I feel as though I missed something.” Added Edelgard truthfully, “you two were fighting, and then you tripped and were suddenly exhausted when you hadn’t been moments before.” She turned to Byleth, “and you professor, you hesitated.”

Byleth’s frown remained, “I don’t know what I felt, but it seemed familiar somehow.”

Theo took a deep breath before responding, “please, think nothing of it. I had attempted to cast a spell in the heat of the moment, but it had proved too much for me. Again, I must blame my competitive nature.”

“So you are a mage as well as an adept swordsman?” Asked Edelgard. 

“I am a mage first and foremost actually.” He corrected, “but again, I would prefer to keep some of my talents to myself until I know who I can trust apart from you two.”

“Why us?”

It was a simple question, but Edelgard was wondering the same. 

Theo looked at them both, his green eyes burning with a strange intensity, “because I cannot do what I need to do alone.” He gave a tired sigh, “I need allies, and I have decided to start by trusting you two.”

Edelgard raised her eyebrows, “no offense, but you do realize we only properly met yesterday, right?”

He nodded, “which is why I would like it if we could cease this little interrogation. I have told you all I am comfortable with sharing. Please let it be enough for now.”

Byleth gave a nod, “thank you for confiding in us Theo, I’ll let you and Edelgard be on your way.” She addressed Theo directly, “I suggest you eat before resting. You must give your body what it needs in order to recover.”

He nodded. 

With that, the professor turned and crossed to the far side of the training grounds to pack up her things and tidy up after her class. 

“I asked Hubert to save me a spot in the dining hall, care to join us?”

Theo smiled genuinely, despite how blatantly tired he appeared, “I would be delighted.”

The three ate in relative silence, broken only by benign questions of small talk between Theo and Edelgard. Hubert remained mostly silent. 

“Tell me Theo,” he asked, interrupting a conversation regarding the meal’s side dish, “I understand you remember little before awakening here.” Edelgard saw the gleam in Hubert’s eye. He was fishing for information. 

Theo nodded as he swallowed his bite of fish. “Unfortunately, that is correct.”

“I must say, you speak like someone raised in a noble family. You were found wearing Adrestian clothes, but neither Lady Edelgard or myself could uncover any information about you.”

Theo frowned, “That is very strange. I wish I could help, but I am at just as much of a loss as yourself.”

He yawned, attempting and failing to stifle it behind a hand. He had not been lying about being exhausted. 

“Are you nearly finished Theo?” Asked Edelgard, smiling softly, “I worry if we keep you any longer you’ll fall asleep with your head in your food.” 

She found herself chuckling slightly. 

It was strange, she could not help but find the boy endearing in a way. Part of him reminded her of her younger brother. The way he remained polite all throughout the meal, despite blatantly struggling to stay awake, the bags under his eyes and heavy blinks betraying the toll of his own wakefulness when his yawns did not. 

Her little brother had been much the same. Even as the horrible experiments had slowly drained the life from him, he had remained positive, attempting to stay strong for their younger siblings and even Edelgard herself. She hated remembering him like that, but Theo’s unnaturally white hair made it nearly impossible for her to shake the comparison. She wondered if he too had been experimented on, and the idea made her chest burn with fury and pain. 

Theo welcomed the excuse to end their meal, and had even accepted the company when Edelgard had offered to walk him back to his room. Hubert, sensing that Edelgard wished to be alone with the boy, excused himself at the end of the meal. 

As they walked to the dormitories, Edelgard spoke. 

“I’m happy you joined our house, and I’m happy you feel as though you can trust me.”

Theo nodded, “You are my house leader, are you not? You would not be if you were not trustworthy.”

He said it with such conviction that she felt a pang in her chest. She wondered if he would feel betrayed by what she had to do. Assuming his hair marked him as another test subject, would he ever forgive her for working alongside the monsters who had hurt him?

“Your faith in me is appreciated, but blind loyalty and trust in a superior is also dangerous.”

They were approaching the door to his room now. 

He gave her a tired smile, “so far you have been kind enough to accompany me for my meal and ensure I get back to my room safely. I do not trust blindly, but I also consider myself a decent judge of character.” He opened his door and turned to face her, his eyes were tired, but the smile on his face was genuine, “you are a good person El. Only a good person would suffer as much as you do with the choices you must make.” He yawned again, “thank you for walking me back to my room, I will see you tomorrow in class.”

With that, he closed the door, leaving Edelgard staring dumbfounded at the wood before her. 

Theo has said something. He had said something that no one had said in a long time. He had called her “El”. He had been tired and it had obviously been an accident. It was a slip of the tongue, a nickname he had just impulsively given her. 

She knew that to be false however. Theo spoke with a formality of trained speech. He would never use a nickname like that on his own. No, he had made a mistake. In his exhaustion he had accidentally played a card. 

He knew Edelgard. He knew her family nickname. Her mind reeled with possibilities. Could he be her brother!? She shook the thought from her mind almost immediately. She had seen him die, had seen his body. Not to mention Theo looked different. Her brother never had pointed ears or green eyes. Theo looked to be around twelve, or at the very least no older than thirteen. If her brother were still alive, he would be fifteen. There was no way. 

All of this she knew, but nevertheless her heart pounded painfully in her chest. 

Only when she had finally begun walking back to her room did the second half of what he had said hit her. Only a good person would suffer as much as you do with the choices you must make. He knew about her plans, she was certain of it.


End file.
